How to Grow Thyme
Thyme At a Glance
Difficulty
Easy
Category
Herb
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Frost Tolerance
Frost Hardy
Cold Hardiness
Survives to -15°C
Plant Family
Lamiaceae
Growing Season
Cool & Warm Season
Plant Lifecycle
Perennial
How to Start It
★ Recommended for beginners
Thyme handles cold, so sow it about 2 weeks before your last spring frost, right in the pot or bed where it will grow. Press the tiny seeds onto the surface and barely cover them, no deeper than 0.5 cm, then mist gently to keep them moist. They sprout in 10 to 14 days and grow slowly at first: thin them (pull the extras) so each plant has 20 cm of room.
Thyme is a low, woody herb that comes back year after year and thrives on a little neglect. Hot sun and soil that drains fast are what it needs most, and wet roots in winter are what kills it. Trim it lightly after it flowers so it stays bushy instead of turning bare and woody in the middle.
When To Start
First chance to plant
14 Days Before Last Frost
Last chance to plant
30 Days Before First Frost
When should you plant Thyme?
Your planting dates depend on your local climate. Sign up and add your location to unlock personalized dates.
Your Thyme Planting Window
Start planting
May 15, 2026
Last chance
Sep 10, 2026
Your Thyme Calendar
Set your location to turn these into exact dates and reminders.
Sow thyme seeds outdoors now, where it will grow
2 weeks before your last frost· every year
Plant thyme in full sun, in soil that drains fast
1 week after your last frost· every year· optional
Trim thyme by a third after it flowers
120 days after your last frost· every year· optional
Did you water your thyme seedlings today? Keep the top of the soil damp until they are up and growing.
About 1 days after you plant it
How is your thyme doing? Water lightly and let the soil dry between waterings.
About 42 days after you plant it
Hi there! Snip thyme sprigs before it flowers for the best flavour.
About 71 days after you plant it
Picking time may be here: check your thyme.
About 85 days after you plant it
The Journey Ahead
Thyme's Lifecycle
Seedling
Mature Plant
Seed Production
Step 1
Prepare Your Space
0.5 cm
Seeding Depth
20 cm
Plant Spacing
45 cm
Row Spacing
1
Plants / Sq Ft
Vertical Growing
Yes: Tower.
Method: Tower.
Succession Planting
Yes.
Good Companions
Bad Companions
Step 2
Planting & Sprouting
Expect sprouts in 10–14 days
Growing Tips
- 1Plant thyme in full sun, at least 6 hours a day.
- 2It likes lean soil that drains fast, so mix in a handful of sand or fine gravel and only a little compost.
- 3Water only when the soil is dry a few cm down, since soggy roots are the main way thyme dies.
- 4A thin layer of compost each spring is all the feeding it needs.
- 5Trim the plant by about a third right after it flowers, but never cut into the bare, woody stems, which do not regrow.
- 6In a pot, use one with drainage holes and give the plant room for air to flow around the leaves.
Seedling Phase
Step 3
Growth & Maturity
~85
Days to Maturity
30 cm
Mature Height
30 cm
Mature Width
Pests to Watch For
Diseases to Watch For
Mature Plant
Step 4
Harvesting
Harvest Window
60 days
When to Pick
Snip sprigs before flowering
How to Harvest
- 1Start snipping sprigs once the plant is about 15 cm tall, and the flavour is strongest just before it flowers.
- 2Cut the top 5 cm of the soft green stems, leaving plenty of green growth below.
- 3Stop heavy picking about a month before your first fall frost so the plant can toughen up for winter.
- 4The small flowers are edible too and look pretty on salads.
- 5To dry thyme, hang small bundles in a dark, airy spot for 1 to 2 weeks, then strip the leaves into a jar.
Step 5
Saving Seeds
How to Save Seeds
Bees visit thyme flowers all summer, so different thymes growing close together can cross, and seedlings may look or taste a little different from the parent. To get an exact copy of a plant you love, take cuttings instead. To save seed, let some flowers turn brown and dry on the plant, cut the stems into a paper bag, shake out the tiny seeds and sift out the bits. Store them labelled in a cool, dark, dry place, where they keep 2 to 3 years.
Seed Production
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